ATLANTA -- A Fulton County commissioner pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal corruption charges, admitting he took about $25,000 in bribes for helping a business owner win millions of dollars in county contracts.

Michael Hightower, who faces up to 10 years in prison, said he will resign his seat on the seven-member commission that governs Georgia's largest county. He called his crime a ''terrible lapse in judgment.''

''I regret my actions, and I apologize and take full responsibility for them,'' Hightower, 43, said in a statement. ''Words cannot express my sadness in the manner that I have disappointed my family and the citizens of this county.''

The FBI says its investigation of Fulton County's government isn't over, but authorities would not say how widespread the corruption may be or whether other county officials are suspected.

Prosecutors say Hightower took bribes in 1998 and 1999 from George Greene, founder of Sable Communications Company of Georgia. They say Greene paid Hightower for his vote to award Sable Communications a piece of two contracts worth more than $33 million.

The company was paid $11.5 million for work on both projects -- one to ensure county computers were Y2K compliant, another to link computers of different departments of the county's criminal justice system.

The bribes paid to Hightower totaled about $25,000, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sally Yates said. At secret meetings in parking lots, a restaurant bar and at Greene's home, Hightower pocketed envelopes containing $3,000 to $5,000, she said.

''They were always in cash and they were oftentimes hidden in a newspaper,'' Yates said.

U.S. District Judge Richard Story asked Hightower in court if the allegations made by prosecutors were true. He paused for several seconds before answering, ''Yes, your honor.''

Greene did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment. His lawyer, Buddy Parker, said Greene plans to plead guilty as well.

''I can confirm that we intend to enter a guilty plea to (an accusation) charging Mr. Greene with making corrupt payments to Mr. Hightower,'' Parker told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in Tuesday's editions.

Mike Kenn, chairman of the Fulton County commission, had no immediate comment on Hightower's plea or the FBI investigation, said Michael Harris, his deputy chief of staff.

No sentencing date has been set for Hightower. Though he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, the judge could impose a much lighter sentence because Hightower is cooperating with authorities, said U.S. Attorney Richard Deane.

Deane said his office will recommend a sentence to Story, but did not know what that recommendation will be.

Sable Communications does work in telecommunications and database management for governments and private companies. It was the largest minority subcontractor on the two Fulton County contracts, awarded to California-based Hitachi Data Systems.